A WOMAN has been jailed for four years after she stabbed a man in York.

Katie Millicent Craig, of Lowther Street, was locked up by Judge Sean Morris at Teesside Crown Court in Tuesday for leaving her 55-year-old victim with a two inch wound in his abdomen and a cut to his chest.

The 24-year-old pleaded guilty to wounding with intent on the first day of her trial following the horror attack at 8.50pm on March 17 this year in The Groves, York.

The man’s injuries, while not life threatening, were severe and he was left requiring surgery and a lengthy stay in York Hospital to recover from his wounds.

Two women aged 28 and 34 were also arrested at the same time as Craig.

They were released without charge by North Yorkshire Police.

Craig, a former drug user, has a chequered past and was jailed in March last year for stealing her grandfather’s war medals when she was staying with her grandmother over the Christmas period.

She was jailed for 15 months for these offences when she was just 22 and for trying to steal travel money from an Australian middle-aged couple who were visiting York in summer 2014.

Craig was caught by the couple as they browsed stalls in Parliament Street, however, and was rugby tackled in the street by the holidaymakers.

She was later apprehended by a market trader, who received a £100 reward.

The couple tackled Craig when they realised what was happening and held on to her until she released the woman’s purse.

Market trader Richard Dransfield, who saw her escape the couple’s clutches, followed her to Bootham, guiding police to her by phone until she was arrested. The judge ordered he should get the cash reward for his "public spirited actions".

York Press:

The court heard at the time that the Australian couple were browsing stalls when they were targeted and it had left them “outraged” and with a very bad impression of York.

The 24-year-old was on remand awaiting trial for that offence when she was granted bail to go and stay with the grandmother she eventually stole from.

Judge Stephen Ashurst, the former Recorder of York, allowed her bail after her grandmother came forward and offered Craig a place to stay.

The granddaughter stayed there throughout Christmas 2014 and the New Year but repaid her grandmother’s generosity by stealing war medals awarded to her grandfather.

She was told at the time: “Stealing from your grandmother was an exceptionally mean thing to do.”